Table with legs foldably mounted thereon



April 19, 1955 Y, ||E|FETZ 2,706,670

TABLE WITH LEGS FOLDABLY MOUNTED THEREON Filed Oct. 31, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet l @Qi 5 mm www BY J, @am i ATTORNEYS April 19', 1955 Y.HEn-ETZ 2,706,670

TABLE WITH LEGS FOLDABLY MOUNTED THEREON Filed 001'.. 3l, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 2 f INVENTOR.

'VAGLIA LIEIFETZ BY M a 3 2 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O TABLE WITHLEGS FOLDABLY MOUNTED THEREON Yasha Heifetz, Rego Park, N. Y.

Application October 31, 1952, Serial No. 317,977

6 Claims. (Cl. 311-35) This invention relates to foldable or collapsibletables.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of a foldable tabledesigned and constructed in such a manner that it may be readily set upinto stable, rigid, operative condition and which may also be easilyfolded or knocked down to an extremely compact condition for conveniencein packing, shipping and storage.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a foldable table ofthe character indicated having a plurality of supporting members or legsso arranged with respect to the table top that they may be moved orfolded to substantially underlie the table top without requiringcomplete disassembly therefrom.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a foldable tableof the character indicated wherein each of the supporting members orlegs comprises a resilient, generally V-shaped, rod-like structurehaving an outer branch and an inner branch, each inner branch beingturnably mounted on a centrally disposed connecting member or hub andeach outer branch being releasably engageable within a socket membersecured to the underside of the table top in order to maintain the legin operative upright position.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a foldabletable of the character indicated wherein the locking and releasing ofthe supporting legs may be readily accomplished simply by manipulationof a single member, i. e. the centrally disposed connecting member orhub retaining the terminal portion of the inner branch of eachsupporting leg.

The foregoing objects as well as additional objects and advantages ofthe invention will be readily apparent in the course of the followingdetailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,which illustrate several preferred embodiments of the invention, andwherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a table embodying the features ofthe invention in assembled condition;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l but illustrating the initial step incollapsing the table which involves the loosening of the centrallydisposed connecting member or hub in order to permit the withdrawing orspringing of the outer leg branches from their respective retainingsockets prior to folding the leg members flat against the underside ofthe table top;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the table in finally collapsedcondition;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but of a yslightly modified form oftable;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of another modification of foldable tablein assembled condition;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view on an enlarged scale of a modified form ofcentrally disposed connecting member comprising a pair of cooperatingdisc members rotatably retaining the terminal portions of inner legbranches having otset ends; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Referring first to Figs. l to 4, the table top 10 may be made of wood,metal or any other suitable material and is arrangedto'be supported on aplurality of leg members 11. Each leg member 11 is formed from a rod ortube of metal stock which may be readily bent to define a generallyV-shaped structure comprising an outer leg branch 11a, an intermediatebight or bend 11b forming the foot of each leg member, an inner legbranch 11C and a horizontally extending terminal portion 11d.

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A centrally disposed mounting element or block 12 is secured to theunderside of table top 10 in any suitable manner for the purpose offixedly retaining a threaded stud or bolt 13. A mounting ring 14 is alsosecured to the underside of table top 10 for the purpose of supporting aplurality of socket members 15 spaced uniformly therearound andcorresponding in number to the number of leg members 11 employed in agiven case. The preferred manner of securing mounting element l2 andmounting ring 14 in position will of course depend on the nature of thematerial forming the table top 10 and said mounting elements.

The horizontally extending terminal portion 11d of each leg member 11 isarranged to be turnably supported in any suitable manner with respect toa centrally disposed connecting member or hub 16 retained on bolt 13. lnthe preferred embodiment of the invention the turnable mounting of legmembers 11 with respect to hub 16 is accomplished by threaded engagementof each terminal portion 11d within radially extending threaded bores orsockets of hub 16, as indicated at 17. It will of course be understoodthat any other convenient arrangement for turnably mounting the innerends of leg members 11 with respect to hub 16 may be employed.

A wing nut 18 is provided on bolt 13 for manually tightening hub 16 inits operative position underlying mounting block 12 (see Fig. l) therebymaintaining leg members 11 in rigid position supporting the table top10, and for alternatively withdrawing or loosening said hub to aposition spaced from mounting block 12 (see Fig. 2) in order to permitfolding of said leg members to substantially underlie the table top, aswill now be described.

Upon referring to Fig. l it will be seen that in the assembled conditionof the table the vertically extending upper end portion of each outerleg branch 11a is received within a respective socket member 15 in orderto rigidly maintain the leg member 11 in its operative verticalsupporting position. The inner leg branch 11e is securely held withinhub member 16 by means of threaded horizontal terminal portion 11d.After all of the outer leg branches 11a have been initially aligned withtheir respective sockets 15, wing nut 18 is advanced or tightenedthereby causing hub member 16 to underlie mounting block 12 andsimultaneously firmly seating the upper end of each outer leg branch 11awithin its respective socket. By reason of the inherent resiliency ofconstruction of leg members 11, an extremely stable and rigid structureresults and the withdrawal of outer leg branches 11a is prevented unlesswing nut 18 is loglsened at the time when it is desired to collapse theta e.

Fig. 2 illustrates the operation of collapsing the table. Wing nut 18 isloosened on bolt 13 in order to permit the withdrawal or downwarddisplacement of the entire leg assembly comprising hub member 16 and theleg members 11 a suicient distance to allow either springing or completeremoval of the upper portions of outer leg branches 11a from operativeengagement within their respective sockets 15. Upon withdrawal from saidsockets, each of the leg members 11 may be turned approximately degreeswith respect to hub 16 to assume the compact folded position of Fig. 3wherein said leg members lie flat against the lower edge of mountingring 14 and substantially parallel to the underside of table iop 10.ySubsequent tightening of wing nut 18 will securely retain the folded legmembers 11 in the condition of Fig. 3 during shipment or storage.

By reason of the described arrangement, it will be noted that the entiresupporting assembly comprising the hub member 16 and the leg members 11always remains connected with the table top 10 even during the operationof folding said leg members to their finally collapsed position. Thefact that it is never necessary to completely dismount any of thecomponent elements of the supporting assembly facilitates the rapidassembly and disassembly of the unit and constitutes an importantfeature of the present invention.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. l to 3 thesupporting assembly is shown as comprising three leg members 11. It willof course be understood that the number of legs may vary as desired. Byway of example, Fig. 4 illustrates a table similar in all respects tothe initially described embodiment but having four legs instead ofthree.

Fig. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the invention comprising anelongated table top 20 having rounded table ends 20a and having a pairof supporting assemblies mounted adjacent each end thereof. Eachsupporting assembly includes a pair of leg members 21 similar in allrespects to leg members 11 of the initially described embodiment. A pairof mounting blocks 22 fixedly retain the threaded studs 23. Mountingelement 24 is secured to the underside of table top 20 and supports thesocket members 25 for the reception of the upper portion of the outerleg branch of each leg member 2l. The terminal portion of the inner legbranch of each of said leg members is turnably supported with respect toa connecting member or hub 26 retained on each stud 23 by means of awing nut 28. The assembly and disassembly of each supporting unit ofFig. 5 is similar to that described for the embodiment of Figs. l to 3.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of connecting member or hubmember 30 for turnably supporting the inner leg branches 31. Hub member30 preferably comprises a pair of cooperating disc members 32 retainedon threaded stud 33 and secured together by means of a wing nut 34. Discmembers 32 are formed with complementary, opposed, semi-circularrecesses 35 which serve, upon assembling the discs, as sockets forturnably retaining the terminal portions of the inner leg branches 31.Said leg branches are formed with laterally offset portions 31a in orderto prevent separation of the leg branches from the assembled discmembers 32. Disc members 32 are further provided with aligned cut-outs36 to provide clearance for laterally offset leg portions 31a and topermit turning of the legs 31 from their operative upright position totheir compact folded position illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

Since certain additional modifications may be made in the device of thepresent invention without departing from the scope thereof, it will beunderstood that all matter contained in the foregoing specification andshown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted merely as illustrativeand not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a foldable table, a table top, a mounting element depending fromthe underside of said table top, a hub member mounted on said mountingelement and axially slidable thereon and having an upper limit position,means for releasably clamping said hub member to said mounting elementin its upper limit position, a plurality of sockets depending from saidtable top and radially spaced from said hub member and circumferentiallyspaced from each other, a plurality of resilient, generally V-shaped legmembers, each of said leg members comprising an outer leg branch and aninner leg branch, and arms respectively connected to the free ends ofsaid inner leg branches, said arms being respectively mounted in saidhub member so as to extend radially outwardly therefrom and so as to beturnable about their axes, the branches of each leg and the armassociated therewith being at least approximately coplanar, said legsbeing generally parallel to said table top in tirst turned positions ofthe respective arms to detine a storage condition of the table, saidlegs extending generally perpendicularly to said table top in secondturned positions of said respective arms, the free end portions of theouter branches being respectively adapted to be releasably inserted inrespective sockets when said arms are in their second turned positionsto define a set-up condition of the table, said outer branches beingadapted to be tensioned radially inwardly by the clamping of said hubmember in its upper limit position when the table is set up, wherebysaid outer branches are frictionally held against the sides of theirrespective sockets to rigidify the assembly, the tension on said legsbeing adapted to be decreased by lowering of said hub member from itsupper limit position, whereby to permit springing of said outer branchesfrom their respective sockets.

2. A foldable table in accordance with claim 1, said arms havingterminal portions threadedly engaged by said hub member.

3. A foldable table in accordance with claim 1, said hub membercomprising a pair of registering and abutting disc members, said discmembers respectively having opposed, radially extending recessesdefining retaining sockets, each said arm having its free end portionturnably positioned within a respective retaining socket, at least oneof said disc members having a cut-out portion communicating with eachsaid recess and extending perpendicularly thereto, each said leg havingat its free end a transversely off-set portion which is adapted to entersaid cut-out portion when said leg member is moved out of uprightposition.

4. In a foldable table, a table top, a threaded mounting stud dependingfrom the underside of said table top, a hub member mounted on said studand freely axially slidable thereon, a threaded nut mounted on said studbelow said hub member and turnable on said stud to releasably clamp saidhub member against the under side of said table top, a plurality ofsockets depending from said table top and radially spaced from said hubmember and circumferentially spaced from each other, a plurality ofresilient, generally V-shaped leg members, said leg members comprisingan outer leg branch and au inner leg branch, and arms respectivelyconnected to the free ends of said inner leg branches, said arms beingrespectively mounted in said hub member so as to extend radiallyoutwardly therefrom and so as to be turnable about their axes, thebranches of each leg and the arm associated therewith being at leastapproximately coplanar, said legs being generally parallel to said tabletop in rst turned positions of the respective arms to define a storagecondition of the table, said legs extending generally perpendicularly tosaid table top in second turned positions of said respective arms, thefree end portions of the outer branches being respectively adapted to bereleasably inserted in respective sockets when said arms are in theirsecond turned positions to define a set-up condition of the table, saidouter branches being adapted to be tensioned radially inwardly by theclamping of said hub member against the underside of. said table topwhen the table is set up, whereby said outer branches are frictionallyheld against the sides of their respective sockets to rigidly theassembly, the tension on said legs being adapted to be decreased bylowering of said hub member away from the underside of said tablewhereby to permit springing of said outer branches from their respectivesockets.

5. A foldable table in accordance with claim 4, said arms havingterminal portions threadedly engaged by said hub member.

6. A foldable table in accordance with claim 4, said hub membercomprising a pair of registering and abutting disc members, said discmembers respectively having opposed, radially extending recessesdefining retaining sockets, each said arm having its free end portionturnably positioned within a respective retaining socket, at least oneof said disc members having a cut-out portion communicating with eachsaid recess and extending perpendicularly thereto, each said leg havingat its free end a transversely off-set portion which is adapted to entersaid cut-out portion when said leg member is moved out of uprightposition.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 733,661Knight July 14, 1908 1,300,862 Otte Apr. 15, 1919 1,885,635 SchweitzerNov. 1, 1932 1,960,181 Dreier May 22, 1934 1,976,031 Lowenberg Oct. 9,1934 2,210,047 Stieglitz Aug. 6, 1940 2,253,172 Fetterman Aug. 19, 19412,540,254 Garber Feb. 6, 1951 2,546,439 Green Mar. 27, 1951

